Should I get vaccinated?

Cholera is a bacterial infection that can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting.

The infection is spread by contaminated food and water and affects people of all ages. It’s very rare to get cholera in Australia, but Aussies do sometimes get infected while on holiday.

The vaccine is recommended for only certain people who have a high risk of disease – such as those who have complicated diabetes or cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), or an immunocompromising condition – and who are travelling to an area where cholera is likely to occur. These are usually regions with poor sanitation and unsafe water.

Book a cholera vaccination

How do I get vaccinated?

The cholera vaccine is an oral vaccine, usually 3 doses for children and 2 doses for adults, with 1–6 weeks between each dose.

You might need to leave some time between getting the vaccine and starting to take antibiotics or antimalarials, so chat to us as early as possible so we can make sure you’re fully covered before your trip.

Your protection only lasts for a couple of years, so it’s important to get a booster before another high-risk trip.

We can also help you with other travel vaccinations, travel health advice, and travel essentials such as hand sanitiser and over-the-counter medicines.

Disease facts

Cholera is caused by a bacteria called Vibrio cholerae. It’s not usually spread-to-person, and instead is transferred when people consume food or water that has been contaminated by faeces. Salads, raw fruits and vegetables, ice in drinks, and shellfish are common culprits.

Contamination can happen in places where sewage mixes with the general water supply, or people can’t wash their hands properly after using the bathroom.

The disease is common in places that do not have good sanitation or water treatment, often as a result of war, poverty or a natural disaster. These countries are mostly in Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, as well as a few other places in Asia.

Cholera symptoms

The key symptoms of cholera are sudden onset of watery diarrhoea and vomiting. Occasionally this is severe enough to quickly become fatal due to dehydration.

However, most people have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Even though they can still be contagious.

It can be easily treated, so if you have a bad case of diarrhoea, keep hydrated and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Preventing disease

The best way to stay healthy is to practice good personal hygiene. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, and use hand sanitiser, particularly in places where proper hand washing is not possible.

In places where the tap water is not safe to drink, stick to hot drinks, water that has been boiled and bottled drinks, or take your own water purifying tablets, filter or UV water purification device. Hot food that has been recently cooked is also safest.